buying short ends

[william everett]

If short ends are less expensive than full cans or new film stock, it would seem obvious to buy up lots of short ends and use them for every reaction shot or short scene. Can someone explain why this may be a bad idea?

 

And please forgive this most obvious of questions: if buying film at .15 or .25 a foot, how many feet of film is used in one minute of filming? That is, for 16 mm or 35 mm film.

 

Thank you!

Edited June 20, 2006 by williameverett

[John Pytlak RIP]

If short ends are less expensive than full cans or new film stock, it would seem obvious to buy up lots of short ends and use them for every reaction shot or short scene. Can someone explain why this may be a bad idea?

 

And please forgive this most obvious of questions: if buying film at .15 or .25 a foot, how many feet of film is used in one minute of filming? That is, for 16 mm or 35 mm film.

 

Thank you!

 

At 24fps, 35mm 4-perf runs at 90 feet per minute. 16mm runs at 36 feet per minute.

 

There is an on-line footage calculator on the Kodak website:

 

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/support/index.jhtml

 

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/filmCalculator.html

 

With short ends or recans, you have added risk that the film may not have been stored or handled properly:

 

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/tib/tib5206.shtml

 

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/tib/tib5202.shtml

[Joe Lotuaco]

I was actually talking to a friend of mine about possibly using short ends or recans to save some money on a shoot. What is the typical price difference between short ends, recans, and factory packaged film per foot (for both 35mm and S16mm)?

 

John, does Kodak in NYC sell short ends or recans or are those typically only available from resellers?

 

Thanks in advance...

 

Joe

[Tim Tyler]

Short-ends are often accumulated by the loader on a TV series or feature. Sometimes the A.C.'s will seperate the short-ends into equal parts at the end of a project, or maybe the loader will keep the spoils.

 

Short-ends are typically 50' - 120' so it's just more work for the camera department who uses them. They'll be reloading often. If time is cheap, short-ends can be a great deal.